


Sweet Dreams are Made of This

by Ratholomew



Category: Homestuck, Homestuck 2
Genre: Dream Bubbles (Homestuck), Homestuck 2 - Freeform, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21542566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ratholomew/pseuds/Ratholomew
Summary: Jake has some reoccurring dreams he doesn't want to think about. His solution? The dream bubbles
Relationships: Cronus Ampora/Jake English
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

A bead of cold sweat dripped down Jake’s forehead slowly and methodically until it reached his chin, scruffy with black facial hair poking out from not having shaven in weeks, at which point it proceeded to jump off and end itself prematurally by absorbing itself into his green skull patterned boxers. His back rested against the cool wood paneling of his bed frame as he stared up at the slightly dusty white ceiling. He was trying to distract himself by counting all the groves there were in the ceiling, but it was like trying to count the stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach. All it really did was serve to worsen his already annoying hangover.

Besides, if he really wanted to keep his mind from wandering, he could always go into the front and tend to his garden. The only problem with that is that John was home with Tavros. It was rare for all three of them were in the house together, but Jake couldn’t really care less at the moment. His son and ecto son always seemed to get along together by themselves anyways, and Jake knew that if he got up he’d reach for that bottle of whiskey he had left on the counter. He wasn’t about to embarrass himself in front of the only people he could properly call his family as of late. Most of the people he had grown to know and care for were out battling a war against each other, a war that he had no intention of fighting in.

Jake sighed. His gaze drifted back down to his boxers, where the bead of sweat was still barely visible. It was a fairly large splatter, big enough to be mistaken for some spilt alcohol, but the only thing his mind could think to compare it to was a splatter of blood on the ground. Specifically, he was thinking about Dirk’s body, lying strewn on the ground and surrounded by his own bright red blood after having thrown itself off from the clock tower all those years ago. If he’d been a few years younger, the thought might have brought tears to his eyes, but his emotions had dulled with slow progression of time, a progression that only seemed to create more and more rifts as it went on. 

While they weren’t all particularly close with each other, he never could have imagined that Jane would be fighting against Dave, Jade, Rose, and Kanaya when they were younger. They all just seemed so much happier back before all that bullshit started. Oh, and don’t even get him started on Gamzee.

Alright, enough beating around the bush and thinking about problems that no longer concerned him, he needed to confront himself about his own personal issues. Jake pushed himself off of the bed, briefly wondering if the cracking sound he heard from his back was from his body getting older, or just from his bones getting weaker as his daily routine became increasingly lazier and lazier as the days went on, before making his way to the bathroom. God, he really needed to shave. Okay, shave first, and then confront yourself about dreaming about your long dead boyfriend for the 4th time this week (and the 13th time overall in the month).

Jake glared at his reflection, trying to put on the most serious face he could. He gripped the cold procelain sink with one hand and pointed at himself with the other.

Jake English

His voice was firm, fatherly and stern, the way he imagined it being if he would ever had any reason to discipline Tavros.

“You will stop dreaming about Dirk. You don’t even want to see him again, and it’s absolute baloney thinking that you do, do you understand me?

There was an awkward silence between him and his reflection before he gave out and exasperated groan. Yeah, no, he couldn’t do this, not like this, at least. Perhaps John would be willing to have a heart to heart with him about the issue. It wasn’t like either of them had any real responsibilities to attend to anyways, not after the two of them had decided that the war was just too much for them to handle.

\-----

They just, felt so real, John. It’s like he was actually there, and I could reach out and touch him and...Oh hell, it’s been plaguing me for months now! I just want something, anything, to get my mind off this whole Dirk business. I mean, I thought we were done even before he decided to take the ol’ plunge, so I’m not sure why now of all times it’s coming back to haunt me like the ghost of gay’s past!

Hmm...maybe you just need a break?

Jake had, finally, after about another half an hour of staring blankly at a wall in his bedroom, decided to get up. He’d even put some clothes on so that his conversation with John wouldn’t be as awkward (though it definetely wouldn’t have been the first time he’d seen Jake in just his undies. Whiskey, it’s one hell of a way to make your room mate/ecto son wish he’d never been born with eyes).

Oh hooey, what’s this whole setup if not one humongous break from all the hullabaloo that’s been going on!

Jake through his hands in the air before crossing them over his chest. He huffed, and John sighed as he scratched his chin. John’s own face had grown a bit unkempt, although the difference between the two of them is that Jake actually kept his mustache, even if it wasn’t always in the best of conditions.

Well, I mean, maybe you just need to get out more. Like, when’s the last time you went exploring? It’s been ages since you’ve even talked about it.

That’s because I’ve already been most everywhere on this planet, and even if I wanted to explore the small bits I haven’t, I’d just get caught in the glorified scuffle that we’re calling a war

John frowned.

What’s got you feathered, chum?

It’s just, I dunno, you used to be such a hopeful guy. You kinda helped me through a rough spot there when Roxy and I...well that doesn’t really matter now. Point is, it’s sad seeing you sad, and I wanna help you out but I just don’t really know how to.”

John slumped back into his recliner like he was a deflating balloon. Jake, after a few silent moments of deliberation, reached over and patted his ecto son on the knee while offering a friendly smile. His eyes, however, revealed his forlorn state of mind, despite how chipper he hoped the come across as.

It’s all well and good, old chap. Not everything is going to be easily solved, and it looks as if this is just something I’ll have to work through myself.

Maybe, I just wish I could offer some- oh!

John suddenly sat up straight as an arrow, his frown immediately turning itself around. For a moment, he sounded like his eager to please, always friendly younger self again. If this were a cartoon, Jake’s mustache would have raised along with his eyebrows from the whiplash the other male’s complete tonal shift gave him.

By gravy, what is it, chum?

The dream bubbles!

The...what?

The dream bubbles, Jake? Do you not remember? You know, they’re the things we got when we fall asleep and-

Yes yes, I remember quite well, but what on earth do they have to do with the matter at hand?

John sighed, though instead of it being filled with sadness and regret, it was more of a forceful “hmph” than anything else.

I’m trying to say that you could go and explore them! They’re filled with all sorts of weird and wacky shit you can’t find on Earth C. Plus they won’t be-

Won’t be any war! Why, John, my boy, I believe that’s a splendidly brilliant idea that noggin of yours has conjured up.

The two of them shared a gleeful smile, and for a passing second it seemed as if the two of them were about to high five, but sadly, there wasn’t enough bro energy between them to be up for such a task.

“Of course, I’ll have to give Tavros an explanation as to where I’ve gone-

Don’t worry about it, I’ll tell him.

Really? And your jolly positive about that?

Oh yeah, sure. I mean, he’s usually off with his kismesis anyways.

Right right. He is quite the scamp, isn’t he? Thinking he’s sneaking off when we know full well what he’s up to.

Kids will be kids, I suppose.

Of course.

There was another pause. The two men fidgeted in the quiet air before John finally spoke up again.

I know I’m the one that suggested it but...are you sure this will help you?

Well I’ve already tried just about every other blood thing that I can.

But what if you find, you know, him in there? Like, our him?

Don’t worry John, I know what I’m doing. Just believe in me! If you’re worried about me, just noodge me a message over the ol’ walkie talkies. I’ll be sure to message you from time to time as well, so you’ll have nothing to be afraid of. Well, about me at least

John inhaled and exhaled.

I suppose you’re right. Besides, what right do I have telling you whether you should stay here or not? Go get ‘im tiger! Whatever ‘im happens to be, I guess.

That’s the spirit! Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get ready to traverse paradox space!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cronus finds someone cute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both of these chapters add up to about 8 and a half pages on google docs im like, gettin deep in this shit

Somewhere, dotting the expense of the furthest ring of paradox space like polka dots on a clown’s pants, were a collection of dream bubbles all floating, twirling and spinning around each other as if they were dancing in a cosmic ballroom, where everyone was everyone else's partner and the party never ended. Each of them were just brimming with countless ghosts of humans and trolls, and even some carapaces and other creatures that could send even the most creative genius’s head spinning, from varying doomed timelines as well as alternate realities. Thousands, if not millions of memories of every creature that resided in the bubbles laid the groundwork for the planes they traversed, creating a hodgepodge of landscapes that looked like God couldn’t decide if an area should be a dense urban city or a barren tundra. In short, it was an explorer’s playground just waiting to be used.

Despite mystically appealing the dream bubbles sound, however, not much ever really happened in terms of excitement or adventure, at least for those who resided in them. For them, days of glory and wonder were largely behind them, seeing as how once you’re dead there’s only so many ways you can be brought back, not that many of the ghosts even cared to be alive again in the first place. Once you’re dead, the amount of importance you serve to the plot constructed by the mutliverse drops significantly, meaning you don’t really have much else to do besides sit around. Most ghosts were content to just that and live their afterlives in relative peace, enjoying the memories of their long gone past, as well as the past lives of others, and just being glad that they no longer had to worry about any real perils.

Inside one particular dream bubble, which from the outside was a bright ruby red that shined with the same texture as oil pushing against itself on a surface that would never allow it to cease moving, were two trolls sharing a joint with each other. The two of them were situation against the hive in the memory of someone presumably a lowblood’s, judging by the lack of architectural coherency of the surrounding buildings and an abundance of warm colored tarps randomly strewn across roofs

Damara, who was the dealer in this situation, had handed Cronus a joint after he asked why she always seemed to have one lit in her mouth, and Cronus, having never smoked a single thing in his life nor afterlife, responded by hacking his lungs out after inhaling way too much smoke.

Howv the hell do you ever- gog damn wvoman, wvhat’d you evwen put in this thing? Howv do evwer even get by smokin’ one a’ these?

Damara’s only response was to hold onto her stomach and laugh her ass off. She ungracefully slid down the hive into the bright purple grass as her cheeks became bright burgundy. Her bun pressed against the wall, becoming slightly undone, and her clothes, reminiscent of a traditional japanese woman who had an affinity for burgundy and short skirts, bunched up as her feet slapped against the ground.

Oh come on, it ain’t that funny

Cronus huffed. He was clearly embarrassed from the way his face burned violet and from how he turned his head so he couldn’t see Damara’s fit, even though he could very still clearly hear her very loud yet still giggly laughter. After flicking the joint into the grass somewhere, never to be seen again, he popped the collar of his greaser’s style leather jacket and crossed his arms before sinking against the wall.

You knowv you could at least showv _some_ remorse for nearly causin’ me cough up my lungs. I’m sensitiwve to this kinda stuff, you knowv? I mean, it’s not like I smoke evwery second a’ the day like you do.

Damara scoffed and rolled her eyes before telling him, in the troll equivalent of japanese, that his sissy lungs needed to learn to toughen up, and that maybe, just maybe if they did they did learn, he might gain the lung capacity to properly suck her off. Cronus was only able to understand that last bit.

Wvoah nowv, wvas that an invitation? ‘Cus I’d gladly be wvillin’ to oblige

Cronus’s demeanor changed almost instantly. He sat up, puffing his chest out slightly and rested his hand on his chin. He smiled, and tried with all his might to give her the most seductive look he could. Damara stared at him, looking him over from the top of his slicked back hair that had way too much grease in it to the bottom of his black converse shoes, and proceeded to laugh even more. Cronus sighed as he rolled his eyes and stood up. Damara reached her hand out like she was trying to ask him to stay, but all that resulted in was her falling over on her side. She landed with a soft thud in the grass as she held onto her stomach.

You knowv vwhat, fine. I’m done vwith this wvhole thing. I thought you and I could do something fun together but I guess all you wvanna do is make fun a’ me. If you really vwanted to go for something more black then maybe try and attack me in a different vway, eh? Like, maybe, I dunno, not bein’ a fuckin’ bitch?

He half hoped that Damara might get up and drag him back to sit down, but at the same time the sound of her nearly howling pushed his feet forward further into the depths of the dream bubble. As he continued on and as Damara’s laughter died down, the ground shifted from the firm dirt he’d been walking on, to loose sand. The scenery had changed from the run-down lowblood neighborhood to something more familiar to Cronus, a nicely kept, beautiful white beach. 

He breathed in the cool, salty air before plopping himself down into the sand next to a pole that held up the boardwalk above him, and sighed. He craned his head backwards to look behind a rock surrounded by grass and smiled when he saw what he was looking for. Behind the rock was an acoustic guitar hidden in the perfect hiding spot for something of its size. As he rested his back against the wooden pole and strummed the already tuned instrument, he felt the tension in his shoulders ease away.

Novw vwhat vwas it I vwas vwritin’? Oh yeah it wvent like…

Cronus mumbled to himself as he began to pluck the strings to the tune of something he had written when he was only a couple sweeps old. It wasn’t the best thing he had written, not in his opinion, although there was something about the melody that always seemed to help him relax. As his hands glided seamless across the fretboard, however, the sound of an ear piercing whistle nearly made him jump out of his skin as well as lose his place in the song. Needless to say he was a little ticked off, but it didn’t matter too much, because he knew exactly what that sound meant. He hid the guitar back in its hiding place before standing up to greet Kankri as well as whoever he was assaulting with a lecture about whatever or who cares. At least, that’s what he would have done, if he knew who the other person was. Instead, he chose to stand near the two and just listen in on their conversation

That is N9T an appr9priate way t9 address me, sir. I’m willing t9 give y9u a pass this 9nce, seeing as h9w y9u clearly d9n’t understand h9w t9 address pe9ple 9f my species, 6ut please 6e m9re careful next time. ‘Mutant6l99d’ is a slur, and addressing me in such a way demeans me as a pers9n. I h9pe that next time y9u cr9ss paths with me, 9r an9ther versi9n 9f me at least, that y9u will never use that w9rd ever again, 6ecause it is very triggering t9 th9se 9f us with this kind 9f 6l99d. Am I making myself clear 9r d9 I need t9 explain further in a fashi9n that w9uld suit y9u 6etter?

The mustached man, who looked just about as lost in terms of sense of direction as he was in the interrogation he seemed to be thrusted in, was different from the usual visitors their dream bubble received. Normally it’d be kids, teenagers, people currently playing Sburb or a variation of it, but this guy didn’t fit into any of those categories.

I’m frightfully sorry my good chap! I didn’t mean to offend you in any way at all! You just reminded me of an old friend is all who we called a mu- er uh...well you know, that word I said.

While I accept your apology and appreciate your attempts at trying to use appropriate vocabulary, I will have to ask you to refrain from calling me your “good chap”, as you say it. We are not on a close friend basis, though if you were with one of my counter parts, then please enlighten me on when this occurred and what transpired so that we may- Cronus are you going to just stare at us or are you actually going to say something? Either way it’s off putting.

Wvha- huh? Oh, sorry I was just uh...wvho are you?

Cr9nus, that is n9 way t9 ask a pers9n what their-

Oh, I’m Jake! Jake English to be precise. I’m just on a bit of a pop around the dream bubbles. Believe me, I didn’t mean to intrude on your fantastic little corner of the furthest ring here, I was just on a...oh how do I put it...just a break from myself I suppose! You know how it gets, I’m sure.

By now Kankri’s face had gone a bright red that was almost the same color as his sweater. Normally in these situations Cronus would point it out and the two of them would go around in circles about if that kind of behavior was “appropriate” or not, but he was a bit too distracted by this Jake stranger. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something drawing Cronus towards him. Call it curiosity, call it desperation, call it whatever, but there was definitely something alluring about this guy he literally just met like, barely even a minute prior to this thought process.

Oh yeah, a’ course. I sometimes havwe to take a break from wvritin’ songs 'cus I get stuck in a rut.

Well, that’s not exactly what I’m talking about, but I guess it’s close enough. You gave it the ol’ college try, and that’s all that really matters

There was an awkward pause between the two as neither of them knew how to continue. Luckily, before they had enough time to formulate a proper way to respond, Kankri piped up. His voice was drenched with enough annoyance to fill up large slushie cup from having been ousted from the conversation.

_Excuse_ me, 6ut I wasn’t finished-

Cronus grabbed Kankri by the shoulders and pulled him aside. Jake was left standing there, even more confused than when the red sweatered troll walked up to him when he entered the dream bubble, berating him with enough words to make J.R.R Tolkien jealous. It was fine though, because it gave him time to comb through the beach and look for alien seashells.

Cr9nus-

Look Kankri, I’m sorry I didn’t let you talk back there, but I actually got something I need to tell you. Damara wvas just laughing at me for not being able to do something the right vway, and I wvas vwondering if could go and set things straight wvith her. Could ya do that for me?

He smiled, trying to sweeten the pot, though Kankri already looked ready and raring to go. 

9h, 9f c9urse! While I w9uld rather c9nd9ne the tw9 9f y9u w9rking 9ut y9ur pr96lems y9urselves, I’d 6e m9re than glad t9 act as a mediat9r 6etween the tw9 9f y9u if things have g9tten 9ut 9f c9ntr9l, alth9ugh I’ll have t9 ask that if this d9es end up 6eing a 6ig deal, then y9u’ll 6e fine with me acting as an auspistice-

Yeah yeah, sure. It’s fine, whatever. Damara’s right over there where those hives are, ya see?

Yes, I d9. Alth9ugh I am perfectly capa6le 9f finding them with9ut y9u p9inting, I appreciate that y9u think y9ur help means anything. N9w, if y9u’ll excuse me, I’ll 6e 9ff.

With that, Kankri had started off in Damara’s direction. Cronus felt a little bad for sending him her way, seeing as how he didn’t really hate her all too much, and seeing as how Kankri was one of the only people he didn't like lying to, but it was all for a good cause, wasn’t it? There was a nice looking stranger in their bubble, and he didn’t want Kankri to scare him away. Besides, if they got lucky then Kankri wouldn’t even find Damara.

Sorry about that, Chief, he can get a little much to handle sometimes. Anyvways, you didn’t get my name, did you? I’m Cronus Ampora, wvelcome. Wvhat brings someone as attractiwve as yourself to our huble little dream bubble?


End file.
